Just about every one of us seems to be concerned about maintaining balance in our lives. As we age, this word takes on a literal meaning: “balance” as in “not falling,” in a real, physical sense, not a state of being.
However, there’s still a big psychological component of a person being able to get up and around and stay active, particularly if he or she has already fallen and possibly sustained an injury, or has fears that daily activities could lead to a tumble.
The East Lyme Senior Center is taking steps to get out the word about physical and psychological approaches to help aging residents stay healthy and active.
“Falls are responsible for approximately 8500 hospitalizations in the state each year,” said Cathy Wilson, director of East Lyme Senior Center, citing Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) statistics. “The average direct medical cost per hospitalization is $12,705 and approximately 70 percent of these falls are amongst people 65 and older.”
Another way to look at it, about 30 percent of seniors living in community dwellings are expected to fall each year, she said. This could happen while trying to do something as routine as getting out of bed, a chair or the bathroom.
Falls are largely preventable, though, according to Connecticut’s Commissioner of Public Health, Robert Galvin.
Wilson cited the DPH statistics as reason why East Lyme and Waterford seniors programs teamed up to get funding from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Connecticut to provide residents information and solutions.
In August, each town held fall risk assessment sessions for seniors. Twenty-one East Lyme seniors got assessed by physical therapy and nursing professionals on Friday, August 22 at the East Lyme Senior Center. The Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut conducted twenty-minute hands-on tests that provided participants information about their ability to balance, muscle strength and freedom of movement.
The East Lyme results tracked with state statistics, Wilson said. About half of the people above age 65 who got assessed were determined to be at high risk of falling.
Starting in October, Wilson will offer an eight-week program, A Matter of Balance. The series was developed by Maine’s Health Partnership for Healthy Aging and Boston University. The grant made it possible to East Lyme to offer the classes for free.
“It’s a two-pronged approach –the physical of how to get your body back into shape and also the mental of overcoming your fears and what you can do within your own home to lessen your risk of falling,” Wilson said.
According to the A Matter of Balance website, the series is a structured group intervention that utilizes a variety of activities to address physical, social, and cognitive factors affecting fear of falling and to learn fall prevention strategies. It includes group discussion, problem-solving, skill building, assertiveness training, videotapes, sharing practical solutions and exercise training.
“There’s also the fear component of trying to address people’s fears about falling,” Wilson said. “These fears prevent them from coming out, make them sit longer, which makes them more prone to falling. If somebody has a fall, they recover, but there’s that fear, especially if they were injured in the fall. Maybe they limit their activities because they don’t want to fall again. Once you limit your activities, you get a little stiffer; it’s hard to get out of a chair, out of bed, daily activities. It becomes a vicious cycle.”
Although the October series has already filled up, Wilson encouraged seniors in town to contact the center so it can get a measure of public interest in future classes.
In addition, Wilson said, the Senior Center will offer the same program for residents at East Lyme’s senior housing community. Dates and locations will be announced at AHEPA and Twin Haven facilities in coming months. These courses are made possible through another state grant that has been awarded to the towns of East Lyme, Waterford and Groton.
Partnership for Healthy Aging is a non-profit organization, established by MaineHealth, Maine Medical Center, Community Health Services and Southern Maine Agency on Aging to offer older adults and their families a comprehensive resource for health promotion, wellness, social services, family caregiver support and service integration.
Home Safety Checklist
Cathy Wilson, East Lyme Senior Center, provided the following highlights from A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. This program will be offered at the East Lyme Senior Center and senior housing facilities in East Lyme in coming months.
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Are rooms and passageways kept clear and uncluttered?
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Are all rooms and hallways lit?
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Do bathtubs and showers have at least one (preferably two) grab bars?
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Is your toilet seat too low?
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Are all medications stored in the containers that they came in and are they clearly marked?
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Are lamp extension and telephone cords placed out of the flow of traffic?
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Are small rugs and runners slip resistant?
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Do you have a rubber mat on the kitchen floor in the sink area?
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Are frequently needed kitchen items out of reach (placed too high or too low)?
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Is furniture in your bedroom arranged so you can move around the room easily?